Handmade Globes

What can you expect of a handmade globe?  Please read this page.

Handmade globes are very rare because they require a bit of a learning curve and additional time to get them right. The sphere and the guide lines need to be drawn accurately to a fraction of a millimeter to ensure that the edge of the last gore meets the first gore without any gaps. It takes hours from start to finish to complete them.  

If you have any issues with the following list, then these globes may not be for you:

• The Earth globe measures 6.3" or 160mm in diameter. The Moon is optional and measure 1.7" or 43mm in diameter. They are accurately proportioned to each other in size.
• The bases are made of beech wood. The base for the Earth globe measures 2.8" x .79" (72 x 20mm), and the base for the Moon is .78" x .23" (20x6mm).
• All globes have a satin to gloss finish. The globes displayed on this site were varnished after the photos were taken because of the lighting’s reflections. At the end of this page, you can view a picture of a finished globe.
• Each globe has its unique Edition number.
• The coordinate lines match in alignment 99% of the time. Occasionally, there will be minor mismatches towards the South Pole region. But nothing close to some other globes in the marketplace (see pictures below).
• The NAVIGATOR has more locations placed on the map than other styles, however some fonts are small, so you may need a magnifier to see them.
• The text on Historical globe versions may be difficult to read and some are illegible. On ERDAPFEL (a 530-year-old replica), most people won't be able to read the text except for a very few words.
• Borders and the location names of some disputed territories may not be visible or updated.
• These globes should not be used for navigation purposes.
• Central Europe is congested on the 6" globe, so you may not see all locations.
• Since our globes are all handmade upon request, we'll schedule a date for completion on a first come first served basis.
• Globes are detached from the base, so you can hold them.

Some minor imperfections on Contemporary globes are often present, even on very expensive handmade globes. If you like the pictures of the globes on this website, you'll like our globes.

OTHER Globes in the Marketplace

The main advantages of getting a manufactured plastic globe is that they are cheaper and widely available. Some are better than others. The less expensive ones have poor continental and country lines. In the image below you can see maps of Portugal and Spain. If you follow the border line between the two countries you can see how inaccurate some plastic globes can be due to a poorly applied vector on an image and/or where the source image wasn't ideal.